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New bill labels NGOs as ‘foreign agents’

Moscow News

A new bill soon to be introduced to the State Duma will label all NGOs with foreign finances that work in politics as “foreign agents,” United Russia’s press-service announced on Friday.

“One of the authors of the bill, deputy Alexander Sidyakin, stresses that the proposed changes to the law on NGOs do not ban them in any way and do not limit their rights, but are aimed at providing public scrutiny for their functions as a foreign agent and to make this data open knowledge for Russian citizens,” Interfax quoted United Russia’s press-release as saying.

United Russia member Sidyakin was also one of the authors of the new rally fines bill.

Foreign agents with a political agenda

Russian NGOs that receive funding and property from foreign states, international and foreign organizations, foreign nationals will be recognized as “foreign agents” in the new bill. NGOs that “take part in political activity in Russia in the interests of foreign sources” will be also be considered agents.

United Russia explained that NGOs that take part in Russia’s political life are the ones that “regardless of declared aims and tasks, finance and hold political campaigns in order to influence the decision-making by the state organs, aimed at changing state policies,” as well as participating in forming public opinion with said aims.